Following The Diary of Captain Ronald George Elidor Campbell until 25th December 1879 It all falls on the same days as 2013

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

"Dec 8th 1879
Sunday packed and unpacked baggage, very hot work. We hear that today terms are being presented by the commissioner to Ketchwayo’s underlings who will convey them to him. He will have fifteen days to decide. The colonists here suspect war. I dined with Commodore Sullivan on HMS Active"

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

Dec 9th. Left Durban at 8 am and proceeded by train to Pinetown, the line runs up very steep hills
and in the most wonderful curves. Bamboos, tree ferns etc growing, very fine scenery, arrived at
Pinetown at 9 am and took our seats on the omnibus which is a covered convenience like a very
narrow market cart. We were packed 10 inside exactly like sardines in a tin one could not move an
inch. And then we travelled to Maritzburg and arrived there at 5.30, the road very rough and the
springs, well there are none. They drive six horses and change three of four times, the drivers are
very good. The scenery was fine, especially the Inchanga pass, but the bus being covered one could
only catch a glimpse of the scenery here and there. And then walking up the hills, none of the
horses are shod and are very small but get along very fast. We could only take with us one small
bag the remainder of our luggage is left in Durban and will follow us in a bullock wagon in about a
week. We saw a great number of vultures.

Dec 10th. Engaged all day in going from one office to another, great heat, 90 in the shade, reported
myself to the various authorities, the headquarters and here. This is a very pretty place surrounded
by mountains, very few trees. Have got a room at the Royal Hotel, the fleas and mosquitoes are
fearful and I am one mass of bites. I am to have a change of transport in Evelyn Wood’s column
and proceed there on the arrival of my baggage. Riding to Utrecht in the Transvaal about 300 miles
from Maritzburg. No news of Ketchwayo, but everyone offers that war is imminent. All the
baggage is taken by bullock wagon, 16 bullocks to a train, and the pace is very slow. Our baggage
will take a week to come from Durban..

On Dave's behalf!

"Dec 11th. Made out and got my pay and saw various officers. A great deal of running about dined with the general staff. Horses are very hard to get and are brutes. When we get them the commissariat give an average of £20."

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

"Dec 12th. No baggage arrived. Have got a sore heel which the doctors say may turn into a Natal sore which is apparently a local disease very unpleasant and very hard to cure. And so I am lying up in the hope of curing it to enable me to proceed up country."

"For clarification, a "Natal Sore" is another name for a "Tick Bite"

"Dec 13th. No baggage arrived from Durban, there is an awful confusion respecting it which is aggravated by the stupidity of one Granville at Durban. Natal sore on the mend by dint of poultice, quinine and carbolic oil, they are the most unpleasant and nearly everyone has them in one way or another. It is not pleasant or amusing to be laid up in a small dirty hotel with no one to look after one in a room full of fleas and not a book to read. Wretched dull work, Macgregor has gone to Durban today en route for Pearson’s column. Received my first letter from England, hope to start on Monday or Tuesday, gazetted as sub director of transport at Utrecht."

Dec 14th. Still have to lie on my bed all day, dreadful dull and dirty. Buller came this morning and
told me the general wished me to come and stay at his house where I shall be more comfortable and
have some society, also decent food. I go there tomorrow. It is good of him. Natal sore no better.
Cecil Russell came here last night from Utrecht to see about some equipment, he returns on
Tuesday. I hope I may go with him, but I fear not. He comes from Secoceni country.

I think Dave's forgot!!!!

Dec 15th. Moved from the hotel into the general’s house, where I am very comfortable and as happy
as one can be lying on a bed all day. Saw Colenso, he preached at his church, but I was unable to
go, about 92 in the shade.

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

Sorry mate IT Problems!!! Sad

"Dec. 16th. Still on sick list received letter from mother and Eive. The postal arrangements are very
bad and vague. No baggage arrived yet, much cooler today, Crealock and everyone most kind to
me."

No entries for 17th & 18th Dec 1878

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

Dec 19th. Baggage arrived today, bag containing linen lost.

No entries until the 24th December.

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

"Dec 24th. Left Maritzburg in the post cart for Utrecht. Road simply awful. Received note from Crealock to say that I was to do staff officer for Wood. Arrived at Mooi River at 9 am went through the roughest drive I ever had, six horses in a wheeled machine over the roughest road I ever saw. The driver, the finest driver I have ever seen, but ill used the horses in a most awful manner. The roman Catholic Bishop French of Pretoria, one of the passengers an old man, very interesting"

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

"

Dec 25th. Left Mooi River at 4.30 am having passed a sleepless night on a shake down full of bugs, met on the way to Colenso a number of kaffirs going to east Court to join the native levees. Better road than yesterday, very rough travelling. Crossed Klip River in a punt and Bushman’s River by a deep ford the road lies entirely through the veldt. The Drakenburg Mountains in the distance very fine, hardly any trees, one vast expense of grass. Very fatiguing mode of transport, great delay at each exchange of horses, waiting for mail bags, saw some hart beast, secretary birds and demoiselle cranes by the side of the road. Very lucky getting the post of staff office to Wood, should have selected that appointment if I had had my choice. Roads are very heavy going, arrived at 6 pm at Sunday River. Driver refused to go any further as the road is very bad and the night will be dark. And so we have to into a wayside inn. Such a place, filthy dirty full of fleas three in a room, an awful hole. A tremendous storm commenced at 9 pm thunder and lightening and such rain. Lucky we did not proceed, real dirt and discomfort.
A PLEASANT CHRISTMAS DAY."

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

"On the 28 March 1879. Captain the Hon. Ronald Campbell, Coldstream Guards, was killed by Zulu snipers on Hlobane Mountain. He was thirty years old and the second son of the Earl of Cawdor"

Dave , Campbell wasnt really shot by a sniper ( as in a long distance ) , he had stormed a cave , and was shot in the head from close range at the entrance by the zulus inside . I realise it's only a small point , but one that needed clarifying . From memory Lysons and Fowler earnt their VC's as they followed Campbell in the same action .
90th Merry Christmas

Guest

Anybody want to scrutinize Wood's and Buller's
actions here! Wood retired! Buller took the
blame? officially, Wood crossed it out! redacted!

Posts : 2594 Join date : 2009-04-24

Open a new thread Les.

» Peter O'Tool Died 15th December 2013
» Captain Henry J. F. Campbell, HMS Active
» Fleet Surgeon James Nicholas Joseph O’Malley, HMS Boadicea for 1st January to 31st December 1879
» Captain George Conyers Baker Baker of Elemore Captain 60th Rifles.
» Rorke's Drift Diary - Captain William Penn Symons